PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has retired Police Commissioner-General Tandabantu Godwin Matanga.
He will be replaced by Deputy Commissioner General Stephen Mutamba.
The announcement was made by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya in a Press statement Friday night.
The statement read: “Retirement of the Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police: His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has, in terms of section 340(1)(f) as read with section 221(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, retired Commissioner-General Tandabantu Godwin Matanga from the post of Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. The retirement is with effect from after duty on December 31, 2024.”
Another statement on Mutamba’s appointment read: “In terms of section 221(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, His Excellency the President, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has appointed Deputy Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba as Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. The appointment is with effect from January 1, 2025.”
Mutamba becomes the fifth Police Commissioner-General in independent Zimbabwe.
The first black commissioner of the newly-created Zimbabwe Republic Police was Wiridzayi Nguruve in 1982.
He led the police up to year 1985 and passed on the baton to Henry Mukurazhizha, who was subsequently succeeded by Augustine Chihuri in 1993.
Chihuri was succeeded by Matanga in 2017
